Relief amount totalling Rs. 21 lakh handed over

Director General of Police Letika Saran handed over a cheque towards relief amount to the family members of policeman Nagarathinam at Sivakasi on Tuesday, who was allegedly killed by an anti-social element identified as Kumar in Sattur last week.

When Nagarathinam, attached to the Sattur Taluk police station, was on bandobust duty for a local temple festival, Kumar hacked the policeman to death. Special teams were formed to nab the murder suspect.

Meanwhile, after two days, based on specific information that Kumar was hiding in a place on the western side of Sattur National Highways, police went in search.

During the operation, when a policeman spotted Kumar, the anti-social was said to have attempted to kill the policeman with a machete.

In self-defence, the policeman opened fire in which Kumar sustained injuries and was declared brought dead.

Meanwhile, People's Watch, an NGO and a few opposition political parties raised objections to the manner in which the police had handled the entire issue.

The fact-finding report of the NGO stated that it was a revenge murder carried out by the police against Kumar.

Under such circumstances, Ms. Letika Saran who visited the house of Nagarathinam, placed a wreath on the portrait and handed over the relief amounts totalling Rs. 21 lakh which included, Rs.two lakh from (CM's Relief Fund), Rs.five lakh (from the police department), Rs.11.5 lakh (voluntary contribution from police personnel, including senior officers of Madurai and Virudhunagar districts), Rs.1 lakh from DGP office, Rs.1.50 lakh from police benefit fund to the family members.

The State Bank of India had come forward to sponsor the school education of the two children of Nagarathinam, police officials said.

Ms. Saran told The Hindu here that the issue was being probed by the RDO. However, she maintained that the policeman had only opened fire in self-defence as Kumar allegedly attempted to attack the police with a machete.